Flintoff honoured with MCC life membership

London: Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and Nobel peace prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu have been awarded honorary life membership by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

The two have accepted invitations from the club in recognition of their diverse achievements on and off the cricket field.

Widely known as a cricket enthusiast, the reverend Dr Tutu was the first speaker to be drawn from outside the circle of international cricket to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture in 2008.

Flintoff, who retired from the game last year, joins a select group of former players including Sir Garfield Sobers, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Sir Ian Botham, who are already life members of the club.

He also becomes the second member of England`s 2005 Ashes-winning side to join the MCC fold, following Michael Vaughan`s award last year.

Flintoff, 33, has been honoured by the club previously, when he received the MCC Spirit of Cricket award in recognition of his sportsmanship in the 2005 Ashes series.